Finding a Way Back
by Ema Marsel
Summary: The friendship grew stale. Life continued, but what if love was able to find a way back?
1. Chapter 1

'_This is the moment.'_ Harry thought to himself as he sat sweltering in the interim chamber of the small church. The smallish room was what separated him from the woman he was in love with, and the reality of time. It was the pinnacle of his life, the fence post in which he mainly stayed seated on, not wanting to sway too much either way in case he might topple to the ground. Sure the square footage of the room was small in area, but it allowed the heat to build causing sweat to pour from his pore and pool in areas he rarely felt sweaty in, but the three piece suit did not help his condition either.

Neither did the situation he was in; there had been a few days in Harry's life he thought was the day his life was changed. The first day was his first day he was learned he was a wizard; a giant hauling an eleven year old boy to London for the first time was quite different from his life from the punching bag from Little Winging. Then there was the day he first time he saw Hogwarts, and made his first friend, quite life altering again, and to learn he was famous. Another time was the fight with the troll, and becoming the golden trio. There were so many days from Hogwarts, the first kiss with Cho, fighting a dragon, loosing Sirius, riding the Thunderbolt, using a time turner, the department of mysteries. There was also the day he came to the realization that he would have to make the ultimate sacrifice. The day he died in the woods, talked with Dumbledore, and returned to the world, just normal regular Harry. The day they won the war.

Then came the days after, the ending of his relationship with Ginny which was mutually agreed upon no matter how hard Molly tried to keep the two together, the nights lacking sleep dealing with a teething baby, the days Teddy began to walk, talk, smile and do all those milestones. And through all those days, he had his best friends, Ron and Hermione helping him, being there and remaining blissfully unaware at the progressing relationship between his two best friends.

The moment he fell in love with Hermione Granger was always something Harry pondered late at night, when he was alone with his thoughts and right before he fell asleep. There were so many moments over his life time that quite possibly fit, but he couldn't place a finger on just one. But he remained as ever slightly ambivalent as his mate's relationship grew. He never put much stock that it was going to last, they were both quick to anger, and too stubborn to back down. He could not count the times he heard their shouts of angers floors beneath his, slamming doors, and echoes of glass breaking. But yet, the two remained true, steadily growing together and away from Harry. The day he thought his life truly changed was the day Ron proposed to Hermione and she accepting the offer, because he felt his heart fall to his feet and he had not been able to pull it back up into his chest since. Through the fourteen month engagement, helping Hermione with wedding details from cake tasting to dress shopping, and throwing Ron the ultimate stag party, Harry had felt like ever step he took he was walking on his own heart.

Parading a false happiness and breaking his own heart in the process.

But today was the day he was going to throw himself off the fence, release himself from the duty of friendship and for once he was going to put his happiness first. '_I will tell her how I feel'_ he thought and was then brought back into reality as the end of the final chords of the orchestral march ended signaling all the bridesmaids finished their march down the aisle. Soft chatter brought him back to his sense, and he glanced to the only other occupants in the room, a Weasley girl true the red hair heritage sewn into a dress of pink tulle clutching a basket of flower petals, and a boy dressed clad in a tuxedo and hair slicked back to make him look like a dashing prince. Victorie Weasley and Teddy Lupin looked quite the handsome couple, she was giggling at his expense, and he was making her giggle with changing his hair to different shades of the rainbow.

Harry smirked at the little smile Teddy was using; it was 'I am going to impress this pretty girl' smile. He always used it when he was around a pretty girl, or trying to get his way, typically with a pretty girl. The boy of five years was quite the charmer. But as he watched the innocent giggle, the door to the clergyman's office opened. It had been turned into the private dressing room of the bride for the morning, so Hermione could ready herself in peace without anyone being able to spy on her and the dress. She stood silhouetted in the doorway, as the light poured in surrounding her figure clad in white layers.

She looked like a vision. A vision of happiness, filled with laughter and love. He saw the look of love in her eyes, and it was enough to still his soul. It was love for another, a love he was not worthy of stealing, surprising her the moment she was to make the choice to change her life. It was not a choice he was willing to take from her. As she stepped into the parlor, Harry felt the familiar flutter in his chest, but the sickening feeling, knowing that this was the decision he was going to have to live with. The wedding planner adjusted the pair, before turning to the children and rounding the two in front of Harry and Hermione.

The wedding planner gave a quick direction to Victorie and Teddy smiling maniacally at the two and scooted the pair down the aisle, before giving a quick glance over Harry and Hermione before disappearing from the parlor to give the couple a few moments of silence. The wedding march began to bellow from the organ as if it was another braying reminder to Harry that this was his last and final chance, "Look Hermione-" He was cut off as the arms of his friend wrapped around his neck and pulled his body flush with hers.

He relished in the arms of Hermione Granger.

She whispered, "Thank you so much for being here for me today, Harry, I truly love you."

And that was the moment she broke his heart. The choir began to sing, so he squeezed her one last time and he helped adjust her veil then took her hand as he marched her down the aisle to marry Ron.

Every step it hurt, every smile he forced and stilling his voice not to show his emotions he answered the hardest and most significant of questions, "And who gives this woman away?"

"I do." Harry replied barely audible and released his hold on Hermione, shook hands with Ron, and took his seat.

This was the day that changed Harry Potter.

**************************************************************************8

Year 1 -August 14th

Dear Harry-thought we drop you a line, honeymoon is fantastic, and Lisbon is great. Hope all is well, give my love to Teddy.

Love Hermione.

Year 1-September 9th

Dear Auntie Hermione

Teddy wanted me to tell you that he wrote the letter's A, H and E. They are his favorite letters since he started grammar school. Hope the honeymoon is going swell. Travelling the world sounds amazing. Teddy misses you and sends his love.

Harry.

Year 1-December 2nd

Dear Harry

Wanted to send you a post, I hope this makes it by Christmas, I am so proud of Teddy liking his letters. Sorry it has taken so long to write, this training schedule Ron is on, mixed with my school schedule has been grueling. Hope we can meet up sometime over the holidays.

Love Hermione.

Year 2-March 20th

Dear Auntie Hermione

Thank you for the birthday presents! Tell Uncle Ron he is the best quidditch player ever. Harry took me on my first broom ride the other day.

From

Teddy

Year 2-August 19th

Dear Harry

I am worried that we won't be able to make it to the party tomorrow. Ron has come down with the flu, and we cannot risk the chance of putting a strain on his physical conditions. Congrats on finishing school, who thought you would want to become a financer someday. Hope all is well, and we are truly proud of you.

Love

Hermione

Year 2-December-

Year 3-February

Year-3-June-

Year 3-September 4

Dear Harry Potter

We are so happy to inform you of the birth of Rose Anastasia Granger-Weasley. Born September 4th, bright and early in the morning. She is loved by her mother and father, and wanted to share their joy of the addition to their household.

Love

The Granger-Weasleys.

*************************************************************8

Hope you like it.

Ema


	2. Chapter 2

"She said she needed time to think about it." The voice of Draco Malfoy cut through the once quiet office. The solicitor that was sitting across the desk from Draco was furiously typing away on a muggle contraption, stealthily note taking and professionally ignoring the Malfoy intruder. "Can you believe it?"

The question was voiced to no one in particular, but the only other occupant in the office was silent for a response, which caused Draco to continue with his rhetorical questioning. "I mean it's a proposal of marriage, it's a yes or no question, what is there to think about?"

There was a moment of pause from the solicitor but it was only for a second to glare at the painting on the wall directly behind Draco. Draco moved from the couch beneath the painting to the leather club chair positioned in front of the desk made from chrome and glass. Draco had been a part of that shopping trip for the furniture. He had been dragged from furniture store from High Street all the way to country side, looking for the exact look that described the serious but not too stiff solicitor's office.

_It had been a Thursday, rainy and cold, which was typical England weather for the early fall day. Draco had been late to rise, feigning another sick day to recover fully from the round of flu that plagued his body. Truly it was to sleep off the hangover, but the great thing about being the chief executive officer of the Malfoy Inc., was that he was truly a figurative boss, while true brains ran the funds and estate. _

_He was just the lucky shmuck that had the last name Malfoy. He had been lounging in his bed, surrounded by remnants of body heat and down comforter. He was casually watching the telly, a morning program following the series of football matches played the night before, discussing the wins and losses, the statistics of each players and the future to come. Draco had never seen a game of football as a child, muggle related things were beneath the Malfoy's station and tastes; but after the second war he had been introduced to the game and became quite a fanatic supporter. _

_As he watched the program, discussing the upcoming season, he heard the faint noise of voices on the main level of his town house. For a moment, there was an internal struggle in his head, to remain in the blissful station of his bed watching mindless television, or go find whose voice was occupying his kitchen. _

_Obviously his curiosity won out._

_He languidly pulled himself from the bed, his silky bed clothes fell loosely around his body, he grabbed a housecoat and his leather slippers, and he slipped stealthily down the stairs. _

"_I only need to pick up a few things." The male voice reverberated off the teak cupboards. "You know the essentials, a desk, and a few pieces of furniture, nothing special you know officey stuff. I figured we could go to that big box store down the road." _

_There was a sound of a flesh hitting flesh, and a yelp. "Bloody hell Astoria, what is your problem." _

"_Seriously Mr. Potter, picking up a few essential things, officey stuff. No friend of mine will have a space that has furniture that is nothing special. Harry, your office is the portrait you will display to your cliental. You want to be essential, officey, and nothing special? No you don't." Astoria Greengrass demanded making Draco Malfoy roll his eyes at his conversation partaking between his mate and his girlfriend. _

"_I guess you are right." Harry muttered. "But I just need some stuff to tide me-" Another sound of flesh hitting flesh again causing Harry to stop his statement. "Will you stop hitting me." Harry snapped, and Draco snickered from his hiding spot and took that moment to walk into the kitchen to see Harry Potter glower at Astoria Greengrass. "It's a little early for physical abuse, don't you think darling?" He drawled as he moved to the cooling fridge for a bottle of water. _

_Astoria turned slightly to glance at Draco and take in his attire. "A little late to still be in bedclothes don't you think dear? Shouldn't you be at work?" Astoria threatened through her teeth before going to the cupboard and pulling a third mug to the counter. She went to preparing three cups of tea for the other occupants. _

"_Touché." Draco laughed and nudge his girlfriend as he stepped up next to her and accepted the mug of tea. "So Potter, what are you doing at my house this early, I don't think we have any business dealings to discuss." He glanced at his watch, the calendar on the wall and back to Harry. Harry Potter was dressed in a loose grey cashmere sweater, a tan sports jacket and a pair of dark denim pants; he was no longer the boy of oversized hand-me down clothing. Thanks to the fashion guidance of Draco's girlfriend, and his own mother, the boy who lived was a man that had clothing that lived up to the man living in them. His hair was still untamable, but it was the classic Potter look paired with his black frames and the lightning blemish. _

"_Draco if you are going to be insufferable please return to your room." Astoria sighed with a smile on her face. Draco rolled his eyes at the command. "As if it is all impossible for Harry to stop by for any reason besides work or to see you." She sipped her tea and smiled again at the Malfoy heir. _

"_Well then, what is he doing here?" Draco asked again. This was his kitchen, these were his cups they were drinking out of, he didn't invite them over this morning, sure Astoria had been there from the night before but he didn't agree to this get together. _

"_Harry has stopped by to ask me for help decorating his office." Astoria explained to him as if he was four. _

"_Um, I didn't actually say-_

"_Well of course you did." Astoria said patting Harry's arm that was on the counter. "We were just about to pop over to High Street to look at the boutiques for some office furniture."_

"_Sounds like a fabulously domestic morning you got there Potter." Draco laughed as he pulled his robe tighter. "Can't say I am all that jealous."_

"_Then why are you bringing it up?" Harry dared him. The glint in the boy who lived eyes struck a chord in the heir's mind. Draco glanced at Harry over the rim of his cup. He took a long slow gulp before setting his cup to the counter. _

"_I'm not jealous." Draco said, enforcing his previous statement. "You two go have your fun; I will stay here and recover by myself."_

"_Draco, you truly don't want to come with us, it won't be any fun for you. Stay here, rest up and I will come over for dinner tonight." Astoria said kissing his cheek and she look mischievously over at Harry who conspiratorially winked at her, this all happened without Draco noticing. _

"_What if I want to go?" Draco cleared his throat as he watched the pair start towards the door of the kitchen. _

_Harry turned as he held a jacket for Astoria to slip into, "No mate, you should stay in bed, I heard about your flu."_

"_Bloody hell, I am not sick, I want to come." Draco snapped._

"_Draco really, it's okay pet,we will be okay without you." Astoria said as she buttoned the front of her pea coat. Harry was securing a scarlet scarf around his neck. _

"_Damn it, I am coming with the both of you." Draco growled and without realizing he had been had by the pair, he apparated to his room, magicked an outfit and appeared back in the hallway grabbing his own jacket. _

It had been a hellish day, cramming into Harry's auto, claiming it would be best to go muggle transportation, and needing the larger suv space. Harry drove, Astoria took the passenger seat, leaving Draco in the back seat, among Teddy's muck. The few boutiques turned into a day of rummaging around displays, sifting through stores, and purchasing more than a few essential pieces. The pair argued over a wood desk, bulky and roll top fashion, to a modern chrome frame with a glass table top. They discussed the practicality of the different types of chairs. Draco detested the word chaise now. They even ventured out to a "cute" which truly means out of the way store on the outskirts of London. But Draco spent the entire day without making so much of a groan, because he knew he fell into the trap and he didn't want the pair to win the war.

So, three years later he sat in his solicitor, business partner, and mate's office reclining in the second choice club chair, the first had been covered in a blue micro-suede fabric, this was a plain brown Italian leather, and he was discussing his recent development of his relationship with said witch Astoria Greengrass.

Truly, he was speaking to himself, because he had popped over on a Wednesday afternoon, that Draco knew to be Harry's lunch/work hour. Currently Harry Potter was typing away on his silver laptop, not heeding any attention to Draco. "Bloody hell Potter, are you listening to me at all?"

Harry glanced up, his green eyes focused on Draco for a moment before returning to his computer screen, "I told you the moment you stepped in that I was going to be working. I wasn't pulling Merlin's balls when I said that."

"And you call yourself a respectable business man." Draco laughed at the lewd comment from Harry. "Do you kiss Pippa with that mouth of yours?"

"No, but I do kiss your mum with this mouth." Harry muttered darkly and smirked at the cleared throat from his friend, and for good measure, "And she said she liked it."

"Enough of that now." Draco rubbed the mental picture of his mate and his mum lip locked for a moment. "The mental picture is going to be worth decades of therapy."

"You were the one asking me about who I used my mouth on." Harry snickered innocently forcing Draco to yet again rub his eyes as if to physically remove the mental image. "So what were you droning on about interrupting my focus on the Harris deposition?"

Draco glared at his friend.

He leaned back in his chair and propped his feet on the glass surface of the desk. "I asked Astoria to marry me again, and she said she needed to think about it."

Harry glanced at the feet belonging to his friend while saying, "Well it's better than the flat out no you got the first time."

"She didn't say no the first time, she just laughed at me." Draco groaned. "It was the second time she said no."

"Oh yeah, forgot about the first time was that the night we go so utterly trashed we-"Harry started and Draco simply agreed cutting off the memory. "That was a bad night."

"Yes, that is putting it mildly." Draco scrunched his face up at the memory of purging his inside of the Odgins scotch, the two hundred year old bottle Harry and himself consumed in a matter of a short hour. The magical effects coupled with the aging process caused a potent reaction. They had caused such a public debacle Harry and Draco were sent Howlers by Narcissa Malfoy each demanding their presence at the Malfoy estate. Then they were lectured to while suffering the after effects of consuming so much alcohol.

"Well I guess she has to think about it, is a step in the right direction." Harry chuckled as he brought his attention back to the contracts that he was piecing together for a meeting he had later next week.

Life, post war, had taken multiple interesting turns for Harry James Potter. The first few had been all about Teddy, his friendships with Ron and Hermione, and simply surviving the whiplash of adulthood and the reaction of the wizarding population. He had been courted with all different offers, from marriage to jobs. But Harry had only one job on his mind and that was to be the best parent to Teddy he could possibly have. Then the friendship of the group waxed and waned often because Harry wasn't always available, and neither were the romantic pair. Then the wedding happened and it was the straw that killed the friendship camel's back.

That was also around the time, Teddy was starting primer school giving Harry a new outlook on his days. He sat for a general education exam, passing on the first try and was able to apply to a few muggle colleges. He then achieved his B.A. in finance after two years of study, and proving to have a fabulously empirical mind for numbers. He was then courted by all types of hedge funds, wanting his analytical mind to create money.

During his time with the Dellion Group, he managed the fund for large businesses that invested large amounts of money to create a greater profit. One of the companies was Malfoy Inc., in came the next unexpected turn. Harry had to work closely with the Malfoy heir, who was suspicious to find the boy who lived working as some financial manipulator in a muggle office. But as the dividends magically grew, and the pair worked together a mutual understanding existed between the pair. Then as time passed by the understanding became a friendship and a close bond. Harry was able to be himself without having to be careful of his brilliance, not constantly checking himself of hurting his friend's feelings. There was not overshadowing Draco Malfoy.

The friendship between the pair even worked out the familial relationship between Andromeda and Nacissa, creating a bond that had been broken over decades past. Harry had returned Grimmald place to Andromeda, saying the memories were too hard to live with, so he bought his own posh town house in a neighborhood close to Teddy's private school and closer to his office. Then Harry quit the Dellion Group after creating his second billion to go back to school to study law. He finished up his education quickly and had passed the bar exam the first attempt and had become the lawyer of choice to high profile wizarding families. He understood their lifestyles being a part of the circle. He had been practicing law for the past three years.

During the past three years were also filled with turns as well, but why give away all the goods.

" But what would there be to think about?" Draco scoffed at the idea. True the first time he had proposed to Astoria they had been dating for a short five months, but if there was one thing Draco knew was his feelings towards others. It took a while for Draco to become comfortable with a new person, and even longer to call them friend and for someone to become part of his inner circle wasn't often. He had met Astoria a handful of times in his youth, but she was the younger sister of Daphne Greengrass that was shipped to the continent for school and to live with her paternal grandparents. But after the ending of the war, Draco and his mother had been spending their lives in isolated seclusion. They were found innocent of the war crimes, but they knew socially they had been found guilty. So Draco and Narcissa shied away from the prominent life style. Slowly rebuilding themselves from the inside out.

It had been the off chance the pair met, a freak accident if you will, a practical joke gone very much wrong, causing Draco to visit St. Mungos. The same day where Astoria was doing her magical maladies rotation, she was in her four year of training to be a healer, and had reassigned to the London branch of St. Mungos. The same day Draco came to get cured of his condition. Draco took to Astoria like she was oxygen to a new baby's lungs.

Harry and Narcissa were both enthralled by the reaction between the pair. Narcissa was astatic because her son was becoming serious with a woman, she did not care if she was witch or muggle, just excited to see her son show interest beyond himself, the family business and his close friends. Harry was impressed because she was able to tease his friend, and laughed at the relationship between Astoria and Draco. They were quite rude and sarcastic with each other. Plus Astoria and Harry hit it off fabulously.

So the relationship spread like wildfire, on the Malfoy side, and he proposed after four short months, it was New Year's Eve, and at midnight he got down on one knee in front of the entire holiday party and proposed. She laughed in his face, kissed his lips and did not respond to his question. After a week of festering, Draco and Astoria had their first fight. Their relationship did not end but they were not engaged. It took Draco another sixteen months to get past the courage up again to ask Astoria for her hand in marriage. She had just completed her Healer courses and Draco had taken her to a special dinner to celebrate.

Being the major pompous arse he was born to be, Draco made it through the first course before setting the ring down in front of her and asking her to become his wife. She politely declined the offer and went about her dinner. The rest of the evening that had been planned around Astoria saying yes was quiet, awkward and tense. It wasn't until they were on the front stoop of her apartment building did Draco finally demand why her answer was negative. Hence the second major argument the pair had, which for a two week stint neither Harry nor Narcissa knew if the pair were together or had broken up. Harry treated it as if Draco was a single man, doing his due diligence by partying it up, spending nights consuming all the alcohol bars and clubs had to offer, but typically Draco would go find his way back Astoria at the end of the night. It worked out for Harry because he was having his own relationship developments and he needed to clear his own head. Teddy was off to his first year of Hogwarts so Harry was able to be the drunken friend Draco seemed to need.

But that was two years ago, the pair seemed to get past the rift. They hadn't quite committed to living together, although Astoria spent every night at Draco's place and eighty percent of her worldly possessions were kept at Draco's townhouse.

"I truly don't understand what her deal is." Draco said to himself mostly. It was a habit Harry noticed that Draco developed in this four year romantic entanglement Draco had with Astoria. If Draco was deep in thought and he was focused on Astoria, the Malfoy heir would mutter whatever he was thinking out loud. "I mean bloody hell she has her post sent to my house."

"Well Malfoy at least it wasn't a no." Harry said leaning back in his chair forgetting about his deposition. It could wait for tomorrow besides next appointment was going to be arriving soon.

"Well have you heard anything from her or Adda?" Draco asked.

"And what would Harry have heard from me?" Another voice asked while entering the room. A tall girl with curly blonde hair walked into the office toting a child on her hip. She was also pushing a posh pram carrying a bag and an assortment of toys. She was casually dressed, a bright smile and her face, and for a moment Harry's heart stopped. But that was the affect Adda Jacobson had on him.

********************************************************8]

Enjoy- Ema


	3. Chapter 3

Ada Jacobson did no hate Draco Malfoy.

Let me repeat myself, Ada Jacobson does not hate or ever hated Draco Malfoy in the duration he had been in her life which was a total of four and a half years, from the very moment she met Harry Potter at the Hemingway Pub.

She couldn't quite put her finger on what quality of Draco Malfoy that irked her so, but for the most part she found Draco a nice, funny and loyal young individual. It was if her voice changed when she was within the vicinity of the young heir. As if something took her over and she had to spitefully talked to him, Astoria described it best, a dragon does not always breathe fire, sometimes its smoke, and other times it is just a breath of oxygen.. Ada had never asked for clarification if she was the dragon or if Draco was the dragon. But it was true; there was a bite to her voice when she talked to him. She had tried to stop, she even could hear the edge in her voice, and there was just no stopping how he and she interacted.

Like a bad chemical combustion that no matter the attempts, the two would never be stable when in combined company.

It was not that she acted solely in these exchanges; Draco was just as sharp in his responses and tone. He was cold to her, most times not acknowledging her presence when she was in the room, let alone include her in the conversation. There was an underlying love because of how the years had played out and how each fit into each other's life, Draco was the god-father of her daughter and Ada was the best friend to Draco's girlfriend, and if he could ever get the question right, she would be the maid of honor in the wedding.

But the pair understood the other and all was right in the worlds.

That was said right, using the term worlds, Ada Jacobson was a muggle.

It had been a fateful night in the Hemingway Pub. Ada had been home on holiday from the continent. She was doing an internship at the Sorbonne, teaching elementary French and Arabic and working on her advanced placement in the graduate program, focusing in International Communication. She already had a double degree in French and Arabic for teaching. She had the ability to function as a native in four different countries, knowing the language and having a perverse fascination for history, she could pass as a native.

She loved her time she spent on the continent for school; there was an ability to travel, and experience at a higher abundance than when she was centered in England. She would spend the majority of the year on the continent traveling to different counties, adapting to the differing ways and culture, but when it had come time for the holidays she returned to the fair wintery weather of Ipswich. The large non-metropolitan district of Suffolk. It was a county town that held claim to one of England's oldest towns being perfectly situated to be a shipping metropolis, but until the past century or so became an emerging residential and commercial center. After the extensive rebuilding and gentrification programme, it was quite the nesting area for high net-worth individuals.

She was the product of DINKY, "dual income, no kids yuppie" couple that had early on in their marriage shared the decision to be child free, until later when it was her father that truly wanted to have a legacy, as if his ego was not sufficient. So returning home was typically to an empty flat, her parents off on some cruise for the geriatric bound in some hot weathered climate. Old joints and wet damp conditions did not meld well but she treasured her childhood home.

She had been independent as a child, not to the point of abuse, but she was typically self-sufficient since early on so being home alone did not bother her in the least bit. And after the long semester, troubling personal life all she wanted to do was vanish in the seclusion of her town.

Typically, when she returned home she would go into deep seclusion, a hibernate habit she picked up over the years, it was to slow down, recharge before she reached out to the few friends she had living in Ipswich. This time around she needed to shake up her routine and had purposefully made plans to meet her friend Lisle Uband for drinks in London.

She had met up with an old pal she had boarded with at school, Lisle Uband, for a drink. Lisle and Ada had been fast friends at the boarding school their parents had enrolled their daughters into at a younger age, both had a similar background. Lisle had been the child of a second marriage for a powerful blue blood, a pregnancy unintended and had grown up by the loving hand of nanny's and aupaires until the age that was acceptable for a child to be shipped off to boarding school. They met at a pub in London a place they had frequented when they were underage and wanting to mingle with the older crowd. The Hemingway Pub, had been a haunt for the local colleges and universities, a loft bar fitted with wood accents and an old style bar feel.

Ada had been running late, she had been growing her hair out over the year, after hacking it short her first semester at the Sorbonne for the cute French look and ever since the disastrous style she had been diligently and religiously growing her hair long. But since the dissolution of her engagement to her boyfriend, she had gone and taken a pair of scissors to her long locks. The finality of the snip had been the finalization of her relationship. But being gifted in the art of languages did not make her a hair stylist. She had cut as a severe angle, giving her a barely salvageable do.

She had to call in an emergency favor with her mother's friend's daughter's spa and salon. The type of place that only got patrons by invitation only, and the stylist would only give her the hour when she had texted a picture of her current predicament. After getting verbally abused and swearing to never take a pair of kitchen shears to her hair again, she left the establishment with a new head. Ada had to run nearly five blocks at full sprint to get to a busier area to find a cab. Ada had been always a punctual personality, she began to bit her fingers as the minutes began to tick further and further past her agreed meeting time.

She threw a few bills at the driver and rushed into the building, practically colliding with another patron entering at the same moment. "Excusez-moi." She muttered in French to the group. Ada had a habit to fall into and out of the different languages she spoke fluently. She had also noticed that some Brittan's were nicer to people that spoke a different language, typically French. Something she found incredibly weird, but yet from her experiences when she relied on the French language she typically was spared the grief.

"Oh it's alright." The man said who happened to grab onto her arm to steady her, though she was no near falling, she glanced at him bright green eyes and gave a thankful smile. Her eyes fell onto his companions that were standing just slightly inside the door; a blonde couple that she first thought was from that Vampire series that was so popular.

Ada could safely state that she had never read one page of that fantasy smut, but doesn't mean she didn't get conned into seeing the first movie, and then bribed into seeing the second at the midnight showing. She may have heckled the screen during the wee hours of the morning, trying to engage with the actress on the screen to put Ada out of her misery and finally take the plunge into the ocean depths to either die or to hurry the story plot along.

She received a bruise to the rib after cheering when the actress jumped from the cliff when her friend's elbow collided with her stomach.

Yes that guy was hot, and she definitely liked looking at vampires rather than the werewolf, but she still did not need to see the third movie or read the books.

But a closer look she noticed that the girl had a softer look than the guy. Her complexion clear and pale but her eyes were bright blue against her blonde hair. The boy looked as if he was chiseled from white marble or ice. Sharp lines and lifeless grey eyes met hers as she was ushered into the warm room of the pub.

"Why did we come to this place again?" The voice of the blonde man asked rather loudly to his compatriots but both ignored his question. The man with the dark black hair was still in the crowded entryway surrounding Ada, while the blonde girl was staring intently at Ada. She avoided the young lady's eyes and went about scanning the room for her friend. She spotted Lisle's red hair across the room at the bar; her back was to Ada but in the mirror reflection Ada could tell Lisle was flirting shamelessly with the bartender.

'Good ole Lisle.' Ada thought to her only to press closer into the bar as the door shut behind the dark hair man who was pushed closer to her own body.

"Would you like me to take your coat?" A voice entered her ear, a deep thick English voice that tickled her soul, and Ada shivered on the inside. Her eyes widened slightly, not enough for the man to catch but the girl that was dissecting her with her warm blue eyes shifted between the pair.

The man took her delay as a fact of the language barrier and made an audible guttural grown, "Oh bollocks, I mean, um, puis-je take your, blast what is the word for coat in French?" He muttered to himself.

"Veste." Ada replied with the word equivalent of jacket in French.

"Yes, that's it." He said missing the fake she responded to his question in English. "Veste?" He mimicked and mimed his actions by taking his coat and pointing to her own coat and hanging it up on a hook on the wall. He repeated pointing to her coat and to the hook on the wall. She smiled at him as he did his charades.

She took off her jacket, not wanting to ruin the moment by breaking the pseudo language barrier. "Merci." Ada said quietly as he took the coats from the other girl and the man, who still yet to disrobe his thick winter jacket. The weather had not dropped that drastically, so a heavier trench coat or a light wool coat would suffice, but the man was swathed in goose down.

"I repeat my first question, why did we come here again?" The man asked whose hand was still on the zipper, finding any excuse to not tug and break the teeth of the zipped sides. "We could have gone somewhere in the Alley. No need to mingle with-"

"Draco, shut up." The girl snapped, her eyes not leaving Ada's for a moment. "I'm sorry, but you look vaguely familiar." The girl said stepping closer. The door opened behind them, and another group wanted to enter the establishment.

"Draco, hand me your damn coat so we can get out of the way." The man demanded from behind Ada, his hand grazing past her bare arm and the man named Draco reluctantly shrugged out of his garment. Ada shivered again from the brief contact.

"Astoria move ahead, we are causing a jam." Draco snapped at blonde before him.

"Oh toss it Draco." Astoria stepped pressed closer to Ada, but with strong arms on her waist she was pushed the other direction towards the bar, while Ada was sandwich behind him by the body of the man behind her.

Being jostled again by the entering group his hands fell to her hips, when Ada's eyes fell onto his through her light brown curls he pulled them away in an innocent and apologizing gesture.

"Look, I am sorry." The man muttered to her and she simply shrugged. She had backed herself into a language barrier corner. She couldn't just not be French anymore, it was either cause him to think she needed to be committed or embarrass himself. "The mate behind me bumped me and it was an accident." He continued to explain his hands moving in dramatic circles.

"Harry!" The voice of the blonde named Draco called out. In the quiet moment of his apology the pair had moved down towards the bar, right next to Lisle. At the moment Lisle's eyes had focused on the group entering and spotting Ada, she was busily waving her over, so the pair continued towards their respective party.

"Ada, I am so glad you were able to make it." Lisle said bypassing the blonde pair and enveloped Ada into her strong arms. Lisle had been on the rowing team during her years at Oxford. "I was beginning to worry about you, you are never late."

With the man named Harry still standing at her elbow, green eyes widened for a moment, "You speak English?" His voice rang out.

"Ada, as in Ada Jacobson?" The girl named Astoria shot out the same time, while Draco rolled his eyes.

"Harry, you bloody arse, she answered your question about the word for coat in French," he interjected his own statement, "How thick can you get?"

"How was I supposed to catch it?" Harry responded turning quickly for a moment.

"Well considering you are-" But a swift elbow to the arm caused the beer to slosh about its mug and pour a bit onto his leather shoes. "Astoria what is your deal?"

Ada watched the interactions for a moment longer before turning to Harry, "Yes, I do speak English, I am sorry sometimes I slip into different languages without noticing, sorry for being misleading," and she rearranged her stance to face Astoria, "Yes I am Ada Jacobson-"

"Astoria Greengrass?" This time it was Lisle that was interrupting the speaker. The blonde turned to face her and her face broke into a grin. "Ada, its Astoria, she roomed with us for that exchange period, when Hannah Whitely exchanged to some school in France."

That had been ages ago and that period had been for a brief eight weeks, barely enough time to pass for the girls to bond as friends on the room sharing level. If memory served, Astoria had a wicked sense of humor and could hold her own in an intelligent conversation.

So that was how the night was spent, the two groups merging into one. Ada did not miss the attention the man named Draco paid towards Astoria, the light touches that lingered and the longing looks. She was also not amiss at the particular attention Harry was paying to her. It was an exhilarating night catching up and creating new friendships.

That had been almost five years ago.

So much had changed since that night in the pub. The pair, Harry and Ada, had bonded over the fact of having similar childhood that was lived solitary. They had both gone to boarding schools, and both had found a tight familial group within the walls of the teaching establishment. Ada had found in incredible to find that Harry was an orphan but being so well adjusted, and Harry was intrigued at the languages Ada could speak. They also shared a common relationship to Oxford. Harry was finishing his second year of Law School. Ada had spent a summer in the classrooms learning Mandarin.

It wasn't love, but there was an attraction, a spark of interest that created a lingering friendship between the pair. It wouldn't be called a fast friendship, but there was a quick companionship that after a night in the Pub, the group of five turned six, left when the bar closed down. Lisle was continuing on with the bartender and while the five waited for the man to lock up the establishment, Astoria, Draco, Harry and Ada stood on the sidewalk.

"Are you sure you don't want to continue?" Lisle asked, she had been watching the interactions between Harry and Ada. "Addie, you know you are more than welcome."

Ada reached out and embraced her friend. The last shot of vodka had secured her buzzed to a point she didn't feel the night's chill. That could also be explained by the coat surrounding her shoulders being held in place by the very Harry Potter.

"Thank you so much for the fabulous night Lise!" Ada hiccupped in her friend's ear. She felt the hands of Harry slip from her shoulders slightly and rest for a moment on her waist. "But I need to crash."

"Well you call me when you make it home darling." Lisle smiled, kissing her friend goodbye, giving a similar hug to Astoria while promising to meet up soon. She saluted the men just as the bartender stepped from the bar with the keys locking the door. She looped her arm with his and the pair made off down the street.

The group of four now were walking down the street. "So what now?" Draco asked, his voice had been quiet for most of the night. He had consumed quite a bit of alcohol but he had refrained from conversing with anyone really but Astoria and Harry.

"I don't know about mate, but I need to get home so I can crash. Dromeda is dropping off Ted tomorrow early." Harry said shuffling with his hands in his pockets. Ada was walking with Astoria, arm and arm but not far off from the boys.

"I need to make it to my flat." Ada sighed. She looked up at street sign. She was a little more than a mile from her parent's London flat.

"I thought you lived in Ipswich?" Astoria asked.

"My parents." Ada waved her hand and the girl nodded. The girls were on the same level of intoxication. Astoria had kept pace with the muggle, knowing that the effects of muggle alcohol had always affected more than magical brew. "Ipswich is mine, and mine alone but they have others places. ya know?"

"Absolutely." Draco droned. He had found this muggle plain to look out and nowhere to the level interest that his girlfriend and best mate was taken with her. He didn't find and intrigue on knowing multiple languages.

Astoria and Harry both sent a glare aimed at Draco for the tone.

"Ada how close do you live from here?" Harry asked. Ada had rattled off an address in French. Astoria translated for Harry who then placed a hand on her elbow. "Why don't I walk Ada home, her parent's flat is right next to mine? I will contact you guys when I get home."

Astoria nodded, sulking not wanting the night to end. But the hand that Draco had on her waist was beginning to rub delicious circular patterns that had her mind even more buzzed. "Addie, we must lunch soon. Call me tomorrow and we will hook up before you head off to France again." The pair had bonded over their love for the French country side. They had spent part of the night only conversing in French. The warm touches of Draco Malfoy had spread up Astoria's back to her neck.

This kept Astoria from giving her newly re-found friend a proper hug, but she nodded towards Harry, "Take care of her." She commanded her friend who gave her a mock salute. "Have fun you two."

Ada and Harry had turned at just the moment of the two blondes faces met in a kiss; they had started down a different direction. The first block of so had been silent, Harry just silently walking along with this curious girl. She was stunning, her hair had been coiffed into a shorter do, but it only dramatized the curls on her head. He had been playing with the idea of running his fingers through the loops. He was beguiled at her age, four years his junior and she knew four languages and was continuing her schooling for international business.

People like her got sucked up by businesses. He was surprised to hear she hadn't gotten discovered yet by the bigger companies. But he hadn't actually asked her out right for the information.

At some point their conversation started up again, his hand was holding hers because she was slightly unsteady on her pointed heels and swaying from the alcohol. Not that he didn't mind it.

They discussed politics, the current status of the EU, and the recent scandal of an Italian diplomat. He was surprised she didn't spend an entire block going on about fashion instead of chatting about third quarter of the exchange. As they neared her address, their steps slowed a bit to extend their walk a little longer.

"You know you have friends with curious names." Ada said as they turned onto her lane. It was quiet row of brown stones; it was the kind of lane that the house summed into a double digit million pounds comfortably. A neighborhood that had a wrought iron surrounding the trees and light posts. At the hour the two companions were walking down, all the houses were sleepy and lights were either dimmed or off.

She started to climb the stairs with the hand of Harry still in her grasp. "Curious?" He muttered in a question.

Reaching the top of the stoop, she pulled him close and invaded his body warmth. "Not bad but different." Ada motioned with her other hand. "Astoria, Draco, Dromeda?"

"Dromeda is short for Andromeda, like the Greek Goddess." Harry smiled. He found it endearing that she talked with her hand but had not removed her hand from his grasp.

"Perseus person right?" Ada responded. She had loved the Greek classics as a child.

Harry nodded.

"See, their names are curious." Ada agreed with herself. She felt Harry's other hand creep up her neck to steady her swaying body. "What?"

"Well Ada is not that common." Harry said.

"It means, happy noble, and it's German. The one thing that relates me to my maternal grandmother." Ada explained. She put her hand into her coat pocket. "Bollocks, it is getting cold outside. Are you sure you can make it home?"

"Don't worry about me." Harry laughed. "I just wanted to make sure you made it home safely."

"Well, if you are sure. There are more than enough bedrooms. "

"I can't, I am meeting someone early in the morning." Harry shuffled, and that was when it got awkward. Ada registered the tone in his voice to release his hand and the man winced at the bite in his voice. "I'm-

"It's all right." Ada smiled, though her mouth didn't open or light up like it had been during the night. She showed him her keys, shoved it into the lock. "You take care of yourself Harry, thanks again for walking me home." Her eyes didn't reach his, she glanced back to see him hastily shove his hands into his pockets and mutter another good night but the only response was the flipping of a lock and a tightly sealed door.

***************888

The pair had remained companions although whatever lustful attraction that had spurred its head had buried itself back in the subconscious of both parties. Sure there was the pushing from Astoria on both parties. But it was a good year and a half before the group was back in the same country. Ada had finished her masters and started to work for a large PR business. The business had her traveling about Europe for lengths of times. Harry had passed the Law exams, and had set up at a firm. The group had been together at various times, but all was friendly between the boys and girl.

It was due to the unexpected death of Ada's father that made Ada need to return to England. There was a large estate that needed to be sorted and her mother was completely unstable. It had been nearly forty years since she had been seen indecent unit. Ada returned to the home branch, working solely from the company, and taking few trips to get her mother re-situated.

And then...

There was the disastrous wedding proposal which caused an awkward rift between the groups. Ada had felt a close bond towards Astoria, and took her side while Harry gravitated towards Draco. But the pair still remained close friends, hanging out often when the dramatics of their good friends became too much to bare.

Three months of close bonding had caused that lustful tension to seep between the cracks of their friendship. It had been a holiday party that Harry's company was throwing and he needed a companion. He had invited himself to the doorstep to knock on Ada's door.

He had become a frequent visitor over the years, since her return to England, Ada had purchased her own loft in downtown, close to Harry's office that he was able to pop over for a quick lunch. He had been a frequent visitor that half the staff mistook him as Ada's boyfriend, and the other half had become close acquaintances of the pair. So he had no need to key in, or be stopped by security.

He let his hand fall hard on the soft wood of the teak door, he wondered if the nicks in the wood were from all the wraps he had abused the wood with but he had no time to waste. Harry knew Ada was home, conveniently having his assistant check with hers, confirmed the girl's whereabouts. He heard the shuffling from inside the apartment, but he continued to wrap his knuckles against the door.

"Bloody hell, give me one damn minute." He heard her snap in French. He smirked at the English phrases but would translate in to a different language, and yes he had learned to speak the language since meeting the girl. It gave him leverage. Harry had not informed either Astoria or Ada about his language comprehension.

The door yanked open, and there was a disheveled looking Ada glared up at Harry Potter. Her curly hair that had lengthened a bit since that first meeting at Hemingway Pub, but she kept it closely to the same length so her curly mop was continuing stylish. Over the years that were the one lustful habit Harry was not able to kick. He always had the desire to run his fingers through a few curls.

"What." She snapped glaring at the good looking man leaning against her door jam, jacket in hand and styled in a charcoal grey sweater, silk from the look of it, a crisp white oxford shirt poking around the color and dark khaki and dress shoes. If he had been wearing a tie, Ada would have grab the length of fabric and tie him up to the ceiling.

He smiled seductively and made a movement for a curl but stilled his hands. She let an exasperated breath, "Harry what are you doing here, I was sleeping." She groaned as he pressed forward, but she was not budging. If Ada was successful, she would be back in bed within five minutes. That was if she could keep the typically happy go lucky and touchy feely Harry Potter on task.

"What a way to greet a friend." Harry said stepping nervously closer to her, "I mean since Draco and Astoria's thing, and your busy travelling schedule we haven't seen each other often."

"Excuse me; you blew me off for lunch to hang with Draco and Teddy." Ada had become accustomed to the lives of her friends. She had read into the fact they were magical because it was hard to keep up with reason why Teddy had different hair colors and the excuse of it was a trick of her eyes when she caught him changing his looks. Ada handled it rather well, not very concerned about the different worlds. Plus it brought the friends closer together. The major cause of tension between Ada and her friends dissipated when she understood that the unexplainable had reasons.

"I had a very good reason for that." Harry started his hand had crept to her hand from the door; it lingered there for a moment, and up her arm until it reached her shoulder blade. "It was the day before Teddy returned from school for the holiday break. He is vacationing in Southern France this year with Dromeda." At this point his hand had moved to the base of her neck, only to twist a curl between his fingers.

'Yes it was still soft.' Harry thought to himself.

"I know." Ada said stepping away from the door and his hand that was caressing her hair so lovingly. "I am just exhausted; I had to catch the red eye from Rome last night to make it to a meeting with the lawyer this morning. Mother didn't have the resolve to stomach it." Ada supplied the explanation while moving into the living room. The reason why she picked this apartment was the openness of the setting. The main floor was one main room, except for the part that was sectioned off for the bathroom and partitioned walls to separate her office from the prying eyes of company.

"So you were sleeping?" Harry asked. The look he received answers his question. "This won't take too long." Harry said pulling her hand into his grasp and began to massage the joints and muscles.

Buttering her up, so he would get an affirmative action.

"What?" She said rolling her head back against the back of the couch.

"Well there is a company holiday party, to wine and dine the top clients and give gratitude to the employees working so hard throughout the year. It's a black tie affair and I need a date." Harry muttered.

"And what do I have to do with this?" Ada asked her eyes opened a smidgeon. He did not go to her for help with these types of affairs. Astoria or Narcissa was his go to dates. They were poised, and able to flit into the social circles.

"I wanted you to come with." Harry said pulling the collar of his shirt to be a little looser.

"If I agree will you please leave if I say yes?" Ada asked pulling her relaxed hand from his grasp. His face broke into a larger smile.

"Yes."

"Then fine I will go." Ada replied.

They attended the party, Harry in a tuxedo and Ada in a festive red cocktail dress and silver heels. It had been a fast dinner affair, a buffet style ordeal catered by a five star restaurant. There had been an open bar which the pair was effectively abusing and after a couple vodka sodas they drifted out to the dance floor for some fun wacky dancing. The last song turned slow and the pair moved in together.

Her hands were locked behind his neck and his were locked around her waist tickling softly as his fingertips touched the naked skin of her back. He had thanked her multiple times for coming; her company on his arm had made the party bearable.

The seductive dancing, the close touching coupled with the drinks had made their judgment fuzzy. He ended up kissing her, soft and chastely but still it was enough to rob her of her breath. The one kiss made the dam break, and the lustful tension fell back into place and within fourteen minutes, the pair was making their way back to her loft.

It was closer to the apartment.

It was one night of lusty touches, powerful moments, and a connection to a point they did not warrant words.

And one night was all it took.

The alcohol had impaired both their minds enough to forget one key element, to stop a pregnancy being created.

That was just passed two years ago.

Currently she was snuggled into her bed, and she heard the soft switch of the lock. There was rummaging around her apartment, and she heard a voice coo over the nursery monitor.

"Hello pretty girl." Harry's voice carried over. "Daddy loves you Pip." She smiled at how devoted Harry was to his daughter. Although, he had gotten down on one knee with a ring in hand after she had made the decision to keep the pregnancy and told Harry about the baby. She had denied his proposal but they maintained a very close friendship. They exchanged keys and shared custody over their daughter Philippa Lillian Jacobson-Potter. They would come and go to see their daughter; neither was or had been a serious relationship since the arrival of Pippa.

It was late that night, it was normal for Harry to come over for dinner, or make plans to come by later to spend time with Pippa while she was awake, but since there was another failed marriage attempt, she knew not to expect Harry till later.

"Ada, are you awake?" Harry asked through the dark room. She did not move and she heard the door squeak open, she felt the bed dip under his weight. She heard the sound of clothes hitting the floor and a strong arm roam up her body underneath the bedding. Ada rolled her eyes, when Harry Potter was pissed drunk he became touchy feely.

He pressed his body into hers, and placed a kiss behind her ear. "Astoria said no again."

She hummed a response and pushed closer to his body. She hated cold nights and always welcomed the warm comfort of a physical touch. Ever since Pippa came, she had devoted her life to giving her a childhood that Ada was deprived. She had become dependent on the need of loving touches. Hugs, kisses, hand holding and snuggles became a necessity to survive the day.

His lips reached the back of her neck, moving aside her curly hair and dip into the corner of her neck and shoulder. "Harry." She murmured the warning. His head hit the pillow and a deep breath blew across her neck. He shifted momentarily but snuggled closer.

"Sorry."

"Just go to sleep." She said squeezing his hand that was placed on her waist. And they fell asleep.


End file.
